Supporting means for electric-light fixtures.



.H. A. FRAIVIBURG. SUPPGRTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 27, I9I5- Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

H. A. FRAMBURG. SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ELECTR| C LIGHT FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 27, I915- Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

HENRY A. FRAMBURG, OF BERVJYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO H..A. FRAMBURG 8cCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHT FIXTURES.

Application filed October 27, 1915.

' useful Improvement in Supporting Means for Electric-Light Fixtures, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to supporting means for electric light fixtures andmore particularly to means for supporting reflectors, shades, bowls orthe like, for systems of indirect lighting.

In most of the systems of lighting termed indirect or semi-indirect, abowl of translucent material is utilized for concealing the electriclights which are generally employed in such systems and for diffusingthe light therefrom. These bowls are made of glass, porcelain, alabasteror the like, and in general,'do not lend themselves readily to the usualmechanical means for attaching chains, or the like, by which they aresupported. It is inadvisable to attempt to perforate the glass,porcelain,- or the hke, of which the bowl is made, and rigid clampingmeans are generally unsatisfactory as they are liable to fracture thebowl due to expansion and contraction or due to improper attachment.

A number of devices have been proposed in the prior art for attachingthe chains or supporting means by springs, but these devices are subjectto the defects, that, it is impossible for a workman to hold the bowland apply them without the assistance of a helper. That is to say theyrequire that two hands be used in spreading the springs and applyingthem; Another inherent disadvantage that I have found to exist in suchdevices is that the spring becomes sprung or bent when the device isapplied to the lip of a bowl and thereafter the device becomes useless.

The chief object of my invention is to provide a hanger which can beapplied with one hand and which will not become sprung by carelesshandling and it is also an object of the invention to provide a hangerwhich, while gripping the edge of the bowl with Specification of LettersPatent.

PatentedFeb. e, 1917.

Serial No. 58,254.

a yielding pressure, will, by the action of the supporting means,namely, the chains or the like, tend to grip the bowl more securely.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the presentspecification, Figure l is a side elevation of the'attacln ing meansshowing the manner in which one form of my invention may be. secured toa glass or porcelain bowl or the like, Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe outer plate or escutoheon. In this form of the device thecandelabrum or Ibracket'which is shown in Fig. l is omitted, Fig. 3 is arear elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, Fig. t is afragmentary view of a modification, Fig. 5 is an elevational view withparts broken away of a modification of my invention, Fig. 6' is a viewof the'hanger of Fig. 4 opened up, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of thestructure shown in Fig. 2.

The glass or similar bowl 1, is generally provided with a restrictedportion 2, form-' ing a groove upon the outside thereof near the top ofthe bowl. An ornamental plate or escutoheon 3, as shown in frontelevation in Fig. 2, is provided with the wings 4 or 5 which rest in thegroove and are held there in as will be described later. A tongue or lug6 extends fromthe back of the escutoheon 3, adjacent the top thereof,and the holding member 7 embraces the tongue 6 and is pivo'tedthereto.The holding member 7 is provided with a finger 8 which presses againstthe inside of the bowl below the groove 2 in such manner as to hold theescutoheon 3 and the ears 4, 5 firmly against the bowl. A hook orsimilar supporting member 9 is. secured to the top of the holdingmember- 7. The supporting member 9 which may be in the shape of a hook,is secured to the chain 10. The bowl 1 is supported by a number ofdevices spaced around the edge and each is supported by a chain, thechain being attached at such a point as to tend to hold the finger8'tight against the inside of the bowl. The holding member 7 is providedwith a spring 11 for. pressing the finger 8 against the inside of thebowl and the tension on the chain 10 is of sucha direction as to" aidthe finger'S in holding the escutoheon against the outside of the bowl.A bracket 12 is secured to the plate 3, this bracket bearing upon itsouter end, an ornamental lamp socket 13 having an electric lamp and asuitable shade 1 1, at the top thereof.

As above noted, the spring 11 normally holds the escutcheon plate 3against the outside of the bowl with sufiicient firmness to hold theseparts together. The tension on the chain 10 increases the grip of thesupporting means upon the bowl 1. It is not necessary that the bracket12 and attached lamp socket 13 be secured to the plate 3 where it isdesired to support merely the bowl 1.

In Fig. 1. I have illustrated a modified form of holding member 7. Inthis case, the lug 6 which is secured to the escutcheon 8, instead ofbeing formed as a thin tongue of metal, formsa round stud 15 whichslides into the hollow barrel of the holding me1nber 7. The stud 15 isslotted to receive the end of the coil spring 16 which is held in placeby means of a pin 17. The outer end of the spring 16 is secured to theholding member 7 in any suitable manner as for instance, by a loop 18shown in Fig. &. In this form of a device the holding member 7 iswithdrawn longitudinally until the finger 8 is far enough removed toapply the device to the bowl 1 and the holding member is then releasedand is slid longitudinally over the stud 15 securely holding the fingeragainst the inside of the bowl. It isobvious that when the holdingmember 7 has been withdrawn to clear the end of the stud 15, the-samemay be bent upwardly, in order to more readily apply the same to theedge of the bowl, 1. (See Fig. 6).

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated the translucent bowl 20 as attached to ametal rim or reflector 21 by means of suitable supporting fingers22'which are pivoted at 23 to the rim 21. The -upper end of the fingermember 22 is provided with means such as the arm 24, for attaching thesame to the chain 10. The metal rim is provided with a downwardlyextendingflange 25 which projects into the bowl 20 and serves as asteadying means therefor. It is to be understood that the flange 25 doesnot need to fit closely within the edge of the bowl 20. A spring 11 isprovided for holding the finger member 22 against the inside of thebowl, but the spring means is not necessary, the weight of the rim andthe bowl tending to hold this part in place. It is to be understood thata number of the pivoted fingers 22, are

rovided around the inside of the rim memer 21. I have shown the chainsas attached to the holding or finger member, but it is to be understoodthat the advantages of ready applicability and freedom from beingdamaged are present no matter where the chain is attached.

The hanger shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 can be applied to the bowl with onehand by thick the lip of the glass bowl is. It can be' seen that ahanger constructed according to my invention can be opened up as wide asdesired without damaging the spring.

I claim: r r

1. In a hanger for illumination bowls and he like, arr externalescutcheon member adapted to lie on the outsideof the bowl, said memberhaving a portion adapted to lie above the rim of the bowl, a holdingmember pivoted to said escutcheon member, said pivots being locatedintermediate the ends of both members whereby they both constitutelevers of the first class, said holding member comprising asubstantially horizontal portion and a gripping finger depending fromthey rear end of said horizontal portion, the forward end of saidhorizontal portion having a pivot part cooperating with a part on theescutcheon member, and having a suspending hook and resilient means forholding said holding member and said escutcheon member against opposite:sides of the bowl, said horizontal member rim of the bowl.

2. A spring gripping hanger for illuminating bowls adapted to beapplicable with one hand, said hanger comprising an external member anda gripping member, said members being pivoted to each other intermediatetheir ends to form levers of the first class, and spring means to holdsaid lower ends of the members with yielding pressure against oppositesides of the bowl, the up-- per ends of both members being adapted to'be held together between the thumb and finger of the operator forpositioning upon the bowl and a supporting chain or the like secured tothe top of one of said members.

3. A spring gripping hanger for illuminating bowls adapted to beapplicable with one hand, said hanger comprising an external member anda gripping member, said members being pivoted to each other intermediatetheir ends to form levers of the first class and spring means to holdsaid lower ends of the members with" yielding pressure against oppositesides of the bowl, the upper ends of both members being adapted to beheld together between the thumb and finger of the operator forpositioning upon the bowl, said external member comprising a plate orescutcheon, said internal member comprising a substantially horizontalportion having a hook attached to the upper side and having a dependingfinger attached being adapted to lie immediately above the at the rearend of the horizontal portion, theinner end of said horizontal portioncomprising a pivot part cooperating with the corresponding part on theexternal member.

4. In a hanger for illuminating bowls and the like, an external memberadapted to lie on the outside of the bowl, said member having a portionadapted to'lie above the rim of the bowl, a holding member pivotallyconnected to said external member, the pivotal connection being madeintermediate their length in order that both members may constitutelevers of the first class, said holding members comprising a gripping 1.finger and a suspending hook resilient spring means for holding saidinternal holding member and said external member against opposite sidesof the bowl, one of said members having a substantially horizontalportion adapted to lie above the rim of the bowl, said horizontalportion spacing said members apart to permit of a Wide opening betweenboth members in proximity to the pivotal connection, the tops of saidmembers being adapted to be gripped between the thumb and fingers of onehand so that pressure upon the tops of said members opens the lower endsof said members against the tension of said resilient means to permitthe device to be readily positioned upon the bowl.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 22nd day ofOctober, A. D. 1915.

HENRY A. FRAMBURG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

